Lovers and Friends
by bemj11
Summary: Why did you ask Lilly to the Yule Ball? It hurt that Remus, one of his closest friends, would betray him like that.I'm not trying to take Lilly away from you, James. I couldn't.


Disclaimer: These characters and anything associated with J. K. Rowling's fictional world of Harry Potter do not belong to me, seeing as I am not now nor will I ever be J. K. Rowling. However, if one day I were to wake up as her, I would not be one to complain about it.

**Lovers And Friends**

**He storms up the stairs leading to the dorm. How dare Remus? How dare he? Remus knew Lilly was his girl, knew that James had been in love with her since second year. And now this.**

**He reached the dorm and threw the door open. It hit the wall with a bang, the noise causing Remus to wince. His hearing always had been sensitive. He caught the door and slammed it behind him.**

**Remus winced again, but didn't look up from his book. James stood there for a moment, then stormed over to where Remus was sitting, jerked the book from his hands, and threw it to the ground.**

**Remus looked up at James, puzzled, then, apparently sensing that James wanted to talk, stood up.**

"**Yes, James?" he asked calmly. He was always calm, no matter what.**

"**Why?" James snapped angrily.**

"**Why what?" came the reply.**

"**Why did you ask Lilly to the Yule Ball? You know I like her. You knew I was going to ask her. So why?" It hurt that Remus, once of his closest friends, would betray him like that.**

"**No one had asked her. She mentioned it to me the day of the ball. She didn't want to go alone."**

"**But you knew-" James started to protest.**

"**I asked her if she wanted to go with me if no one else asked."**

"**Why?" **

"**She was upset that no one had asked her yet."**

"**And she just walked up and told you this?"**

"**No." Remus's eyes didn't quite meet James's.**

"**What then? Have you been seeing each other secretly lately?" Remus twitched slightly, a dead giveaway. "So you are after her?" He yelled, and Remus winced. "Does that bother you?" He continued yelling, furious. "Well, let me tell you what bothers me." Remus backed away from James, nervously. "ONE OF MY BEST FRIENDS IS APPARANTLY TRYING TO WIN THE AFFECTIONS OF THE GIRL I LOVE AND HE KNOWS I LOVE HER AND I TRUSTED HIM AND HE BETRAYED ME! WHY NOT JUST STICK A KNIFE IN MY BACK?" He stopped for breath. "WELL, WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THAT?"**

"**I'm not trying to steal your girl, James." Remus was blinking rapidly now, his voice was barely a whisper. **

"**THEN WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO DO?" Remus didn't answer. "WELL?" **

"**James, calm down, for a minute and-"**

"**CALM DOWN? MY BEST FRIEND IS IN LOVE WITH LILLY EVANS!" He didn't actually quite believe it, though, until Remus looked away towards the window. "You do?"**

**Remus looked at him. "Of course I do. She's one of the most understanding people I have ever met. I love her more then any other person. But not in the same way, James. It's more how one would love a sister or a parent. I'm not trying to take Lilly from you. I couldn't."**

"**What do you mean?"**

"**James, werewolves aren't allowed to get married, so there wouldn't be any point. I don't love her that way, anyway. Aside from that, she loves you."**

**It took a couple seconds for that to sink in. "Lilly loves me?" Remus nodded. "How would you know that?" **

"**Lilly and I actually do spend a lot of time together, and she's always talking about you."**

"**When?"**

"**During Quidditch practice, mostly. We do homework and talk."**

"**Why didn't you tell me that?"**

"**I never thought to, I guess. It didn't seem like a big deal. We've been doing it for years."**

"**Oh." How could he have doubted Remus? Surely Remus was furious with him now, after all that. He turned to leave, feeling like an idiot. He had probably just ruined their friendship.**

"**James." James turned. Remus was giving him that look. The look he had given Peter after they had found out about Remus's lycanthropy and Peter had shunned him for a month. It was the same look he had given Sirius after he had told Snape about the Whomping Willow. It was the look that meant. "What is it with you guys? Why wouldn't I want to still be your friend? So you've done something stupid. Don't we all? I know I'm not perfect." **

**Relieved, James smiled. Remus smiled back with that weary, knowing, sad smile that no one could forget. "So werewolves can't get married?" James asked at last.**

"**Nope."**

"**Does Sirius know this?"**

"**We werewolves don't like to discuss these kind of things." He said it lightly, with a laugh, but it meant he didn't want to talk about. **

"**So, I'm starved. How about you?" James asked.**

"**Always." Remus replied.**

"**Kitchen?"**

"**Lead the way."**

**Please review and tell me what you think. My view on the relationship between Lilly and Remus.**

**Author's Note: No offense, but I hate it when people ruin Remus's character with slash, fornication, or adultery. It is highly disrespectful to the character and his creator.**

**Also, it has been brought to my attention that I had neglected to put a disclaimer on this story before I updated it. Thanks to Destiny who noticed. It is disrespectful not to put them on and I assure you it was not intentional. Thanks for revieewing.**


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